The front kick—either a front snap kick or front thrust kick—is usually the first kick you learn to throw in the martial arts… but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it better! Here’s a challenging exercise that will not only help you add more speed and power to your front kick, it’ll also make it…
Author: Ando Mierzwa
Ando Mierzwa is a martial arts teacher living in Los Angeles, CA.
How to Keep Your Hands Up When You Kick!
Do you keep your hands up when you throw a kick? Take another look! Dropping the guard—either one hand or both—is a very common bad habit. Let me share a simple drill to help keep your hands up while you’re throwing kicks. Video and summary below! How to Keep Your Hands Up Hold on—before you…
#56: A Religious Experience [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #56 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “A Religious Experience.” You never know when you might have a religious experience… or when you might be the cause of one! Join Ando in a discussion all about martial arts and reading signs from the universe. To LISTEN to, “A Religious Experience,”…
Knockout Tips for Martial Arts and Self-Defense
Admit it—you’ve dreamed about blasting a bad guy with a big, superhero knockout punch. Me, too! Well, grow up. Fighting is not that simple. Let me share some advice on a more practical approach to landing a knockout shot in a real-world self-defense situation. Enjoy the video or read the summary below. Stay safe! Knockout…
#55: I Want You to Fail! [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #55 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “I Want You to Fail!” If you want to learn martial arts, then from the bottom of my heart—I want you to fail! Like it or not, failing is the only way to become a master. Unfortunately, our ego usually doesn’t agree! In…
Defend Punches Like a Pro with Sensei Alec Rains
If you defend punches today the same way you did as a beginner, something is wrong! Let’s make sure we’re training smarter, not just harder. Here are some tips from Sensei Alec Rains of The Mat Martial Arts in Austin, Texas to help you defend against punches more efficiently and effectively. I recommend watching the…
#54: Facing a Death Threat [Podcast]
Welcome to Episode #54 of the Fight for a Happy Life podcast, “Facing a Death Threat.” What would you do if someone threatened your life? Would you be prepared to fight? Would you be able to walk away? Would you have the wisdom to know the difference between a real threat and an idle threat?…